Produced by Al Haines
GROSSET & DUNLAP
Made in the United States of America
To
"The fangs of the she-wolf are whetted keen for Galilean flesh and elsethe wrath of Jehovah palsy the arm of Rome, Galilean soil will run redwith blood from scourged backs ere the noon of a new day."
The speaker, a slender woman wearing the garb of a peasant, lowered awater-jar from her shoulder and stood beside the bench of a workman,who paused at his task to get news from the market place.
"The souls for the cross—are they many?" he asked.
"A score of hundred I hear whispered, but at market place and fountainthe spear of the soldier presseth hard against the ribs of those whocongregate to exchange a word."
The man, who was fashioning a heavy yoke, lifted his bearded face tothat of the woman. "A score of hundred!" he exclaimed. "To-morrow'ssun will climb over Tabor to the ring of axes cutting green timber fortwenty hundred crosses! The mercy of God on the victims!"
"Yea—and to-morrow's sun will set with the breeze of evening waftingone great groan of agony over the hills and vales of Galilee—one greatsob of lamentation—one great curse on the barbarians of the city onthe Tiber. And this for no crime save that of poverty!"
"Insurrection," the man corrected. "The Gaulonite raised, not apopular revolt, alas. It is but insurrection."
"Insurrection!—and why not insurrection? The Gaulonite may hang on across until the black winged ravens pick his bones and wild dogs carrythem to desert places, but the Gaulonite speaks the voice of ourfathers for verily, verily, the soil of the earth belongs to God, notmen, and the toiler should eat of the increase of his labor! Doth notour toil yield the barley